Kabansky District

Location

The district is located in the south-eastern part of Buryatia. It was founded in 1927, the area of the district is 13 536 square kilometers. The center of the district is the village of Kabansk; the distance from the village to Ulan-Ude is 113 kilometers.

Culture

The district received its name from the Kabania River, along which there were many wild boars. In 1680 the Kabansky stockaded town was put up, later a village appeared near it. Many famous people have visited the place. One of the attractions of the village is the building of the synagogue, built by Jewish merchants.

The Posolsky Transfiguration of the Saviour Monastery is based on the right bank of Lake Baikal in 1681. The village of Posolskoye arose near the monastery. The ensemble of the Posolsky Monastery is an outstanding architectural monument of Siberia. This is the first stone temple of Transbaikalia, a magnificent example of Siberian baroque.

The town of Babushkin, located in 180 kilometers from Ulan-Ude, has the status of a historical city of Russia. In the XIX century, the city was one of the centers of trade on the Tea Way. On the outskirts of the city, there is an old lighthouse, built in 1900. Monuments of history in the town: a water tower resembling an ancient castle; soldiers’ barracks, a locomotive depot, a station building.

Also, in Babushkin, there is a historical-revolutionary museum. The museum has a rich collection of documents and subjects on the history of the town; the exposition reflects the theme of Lake Baikal conservation, the importance of the place on the Tea Way is shown by the exposition of samovars.

Nature

Lemasovo

One of the main recreational areas on the south-eastern coast of Baikal, a popular holiday destination. It is located on Cherkalov Sor bay; the nearest settlements are Posolskoye and Istok. Lemasovo is included in the list of specially protected natural areas.

Khamar-Daban

From the Buryat “walnut mountain pass” – a mountain range, throughout which there are several natural areas: mountain forest belt, alpine meadows, and tundra. It is a chain of mountains with a width of 40 to 90 kilometers. The tops of the ridge (barrens) are devoid of vegetation and reach an altitude of 2000 – 2300 meters above sea level. The maximum height of the ridge is 2371 meters. In the forests of Khamar-Daban relic, human-sized plants and ferns are found. There are also many rivers in Khamar-Daban.

Baikal Biosphere Reserve

It is located on the southern coast of Lake Baikal, in the central part of the Khamar-Daban Range. There is the highest peak of Khamar-Daban in the reserve – Mount Sokhor. This is the place of conservation of wild animals and rare plants.

Selenga River Delta

One of the touristic areas of Kabansky district. A considerable part of it is strongly swamped, with many small lakes, and has more than 30 large and small channels. It is washed by the Baikalian gulfs of Istoksky Sor and Proval. There are 251 species of birds in the delta. This is the largest concentration site for semiaquatic birds in Eastern Siberia. The delta is included in the list of wetlands of international importance as a unique habitat for the natatorials. The state reserve “Kabansky” is also located in the delta of the Selenga River. It is a part of UNESCO World Heritage Site “Lake Baikal”.

Posolsky Sor

The largest of the shallow bays of Lake Baikal. On the bay, there is the village of Posolskoye and Transfiguration of the Saviour monastery, the village of Povorot and Boyarsk. The water in the bay warms up well in the summer months, and its 14-kilometer sandy beach is popular with tourists.

Enkheluk Village

From Buryat – “calm, peaceful, blessed” it is located on the eastern shore of Lake Baikal, 170 kilometers from Ulan-Ude. Since ancient times, these places on Baikal are called “Enchanted shore”. The gentle shore and long beaches are combined with steep slopes, overgrown with dense taiga forests. A lot of mountain streams and rivers flow their waters to Baikal. This is one of the favorite places for recreation and tourism in Buryatia. The coast of Lake Baikal in the Enkheluk area is a splendid sandy beach, where you can find secluded places.

Staying in Enkheluk, you can make a trip to the healing hot springs, located 8 kilometers in the area of Urochische Zagza.

Sukhaya and Zarechye

These are the locations on the eastern shore of Lake Baikal. Sandy beaches, pine forests invite to a quiet rest. There are several recreation areas there: Enkheluk Wildlife Reserve, Enheluk-Zagza, the settlements of Oymur, New Enkheluk, Sukhaya, Zarechye.